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About Wilson Diving and Our Store
"There is a difference where you go for scuba diving training" has always been Wilson Diving's motto concerning diver education. Established in 1992, Wilson Diving has maintained a full service retail store, travel department, teaching facility and repair center. The reason we've been a leader is because we do it right! For over 18 years, our satisfied customers have been able to come to our one location to fulfill all their diving and snorkeling needs! Our retail store features the latest in diving equipment from nationally recognized manufacturers. The repair department is an authorized service center for most major brands of diving equipment |
Our innovative travel department has allowed our staff to lead diving expeditions to exotic worldwide dive destinations as well as local BC diving. The heart of our program however, has always been our teaching program, which is directed by Doug Wilson. Doug's background as a Canadian Navy Clearance Diver for 23 years, ACUC Instructor since 1980,Instructor Trainer since 1989, plus thousands of dives has received national recognition in the field of diver education. Under Doug's expert guidance, the instructional program has been unsurpassed in Western British Columbia! Our training may take a little longer and cost a bit more but then, good training always does. We don't take short cuts.
Our constant search for the best has led to a reliability and dependability that our customers can count on. Drop in to see us and find out why we are different from the rest. The staff at Wilson Diving is happy to answer all your questions, share their experience and help you anyway they can in a light friendly manner. This is what makes our shop different and unique. We still know how to have fun!
Our Staff
DOUG WILSON
Doug tried scuba at 13 in the 60s and became a certified diver in 1975 while in the Army. His love of diving saw him change to the Navy to become a Canadian Navy Clearance Diver in 81, which involved all aspects of diving including underwater mine clearance, EOD, mixed gas diving to 330 ft (HEO2), using re-breathers to 260 ft. The navy diving also gave him the opportunity to be an Experimental Diver at DCIEM where he was involved with the development of the DCIEM Decompression tables, and other projects. He also worked with the navy's 5 man submersible, the SDL (Submersible Diver Lockout). In 1985 he was certified as a diving instructor then Master Instructor and Instructor Trainer in 1988. Doug retired from the navy in 1996 with a military career that spanned 23 years. In that time he has dove all over the world, from the Red Sea to the frigid waters of the Arctic. He also was awarded contract to replace 20,000 pound lift bags to Canadian Navy for the Swiss Air crash.
AMY LANTHIER
Amy has been diving since she was 16 years old, but really made it a part of her life after completing a refresher course with Wilson diving before traveling to New Zealand and Australia. Amy did a lot of diving while spending 9 months abroad and completed her Advanced Course diving on the great barrier reef. After returning to Victoria in 2006 Amy became part of the Wilson Diving team and became a divemaster through the shop in 2008. Amy has continued to be our Sunday girl at the shop and has recently become an Open Water Instructor for the shop. Amy is always looking for new dive sites to explore, both tropically and locally. Barkley sound is an annual must for Amy and she has resently explored the waters of Belize and Cuba.
DOUG BIFFARD
Doug started snorkeling when he was 4 years old with gear he borrowed form his uncle (when he wasn't looking). In 1975, Doug signed up for open water certification in Kelowna and dove Okanagan Lake from one end to the other - no not in one dive! From freshwater beginnings Doug moved on to all sorts of diving both sport and light commercial. Exotic dive trips started with a high school road trip with Mark O. (still the best buddy to dive with) to Powell River in 1976, then Mexico a couple of times and followed recently to Hawaii and Rarotonga. After moving to Victoria in 1997 Doug began helping out Doug Wilson with dive instruction. With guidance from Doug W. and Susan Francis, Doug moved through the certification levels and became an open water instructor in 2003. When not teaching diving Doug can be found underwater, counting fish - still studying for that Kindergarten final exam? Well maybe, but really Doug's a bit of a critter nut and is an active REEF survey diver. If you want to know the name of an underwater creature, ask Doug.
TIM CHARBONEAU
Tim has been diving since 2006 when he worked as a qualified boat Captain for a popular Adventure company in the Gulf Islands. He conducted
diving and fishing charters,eco tours and water taxi throughout the Gulf Islands and Vancouver Island. He has developed
a thorough knowledge of the local shore and boat dive sites as well as abroad. His first Intro Dive was in the Red Sea
in Sharm el Sheik, Egypt and was hooked ever since then. Tim, along with his good friend Burt, started up the largest
dive club on Vancouver Island called "Sunday Divers" which now boasts up to 247 members on their Facebook site.
He also assisted with the Reefball Project in the Sidney Waterfront. Tim has also brought his technical skills to the shop with regard to his diligence and high standards with equipment
maintenance and of course carpentry and electrical skills. He also has experience with photography and camera
operations.Tim came to us as a Divemaster and since joining the Wilson Dive Team, he is now an Open Water Instructor
for ACUC and Advanced Open Water Instructor for SSI. Tim has future interest in organizing and joining our Annual
Dive Excursions to various places such as the Red Sea, Belize and Fiji.
Contact Wilson Diving for more information.
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